First stage of purification

The seven organs

One organ at a time, thirty consecutive days each. The book allows those who can manage all seven at once to do so — but its ordinary instruction is to build one door, finish it, and only then start the next.

The seven sensual organs are the tongue, the eyes, the hands, the ears, the feet, the private parts and the stomach. In order to remove the stains of darkness from the heart, one applies the method of purifying them individually — cleansing the limbs one organ at a time.

The seeker begins with the tongue, abstaining from the sins of that organ for thirty consecutive days and recording his progress on the tongue sheet. On completing it, he commences the ears sheet in the same way. By the end of the second sheet he ought to be able to abstain from the sins of both. He continues in this way until all seven sheets are complete, and then moves to the second stage.

A diagram of a red heart at the centre with seven channels entering it, each labelled with an organ and its sins: the tongue with excessive talk, hypocrisy, disputes, praise, singing, false promise, curse, useless talk, ridicule, lying, cheating, slander, disclosing secrets, obscene talk, swearing and back-biting; the eyes with excessive looking at worldly materials, unlawful magazines, unlawful films and gazing with lust; the ears with listening to other people's conversations, bad talk, vain talks and unlawful music; the hands with fraud, offensive gestures, touching lustfully and punching; the private parts with adultery, keeping it uncovered, abusing and uncleanliness; the stomach with excessive lawful eating, unlawful eating, alcohol and drugs; and the feet with entering property without permission, meeting na-mehram, harmful places, vain places and places of drug and alcohol abuse — Sins relating to the various parts of the body — every channel feeding the heartp.60

Why one door is not enough

The twelve states of the heart

This is the diagram that explains the whole method, and it is worth enlarging. It runs through twelve states in sequence: the heart as it was born, clean. The heart of disbelief, pitch black. The single black dot of a first sin. The heart darkened by being engrossed in sin. The heart cleansed by dhikr and prayers — but only for a short while, because the channels are still open, so it returns to its diseased state.

Then the turn. The effect of blocking one channel: the disease entering is reduced. A second channel blocked at the same time: the area of cleanliness has increased, and its effect slowly starts to spread to other parts of the heart. And finally, one by one, every stream of darkness blocked — so the heart stays clean, and the effect of the dhikr and the prayers begins at last to show itself.

Twelve numbered panels showing a heart with seven channels entering it, progressing from clean at birth, to the pitch black heart of disbelief, to a single black dot from one sin, to complete darkness, to brief cleansing by dhikr that fades, and then through the blocking of one channel, then two, until every channel is blocked and the whole heart is light — The twelve states of the heart — the argument for closing the doors before expecting the dhikr to workp.61

The dhikr was never failing. The doors were open.

The seven sheets

Each door, and its rules

The rules are numbered exactly as the book numbers them, because the sheets ask the seeker to record which rule was violated — not merely that something was.

Tongue

20 rules to abstain from · 5 uses to adopt · 30 days each · p.62

The book starts here, and it is the longest list of all — twenty ways the tongue lets darkness into the heart.

Part 1 · Purificationwhat to abstain from

Back-biting.
Slander.
Lying.
Intentionally swearing falsely using one of Allah's names or attributes.
Giving false witness about past events.
Carrying tales between people in order to ruin a relationship between them.
Ridiculing or making fun of another person.
Obscene talk.
Ascribing to Allah, His prophets, His angels or the Prophet's companions what they are high above and free of.
Uttering black magic words in order to bring about paranormal effects.
Singing or reciting sensual or lewd lyrics.
Praising people in their presence who are not free of arrogance and conceit.
Hypocrisy — being two-faced.
Revealing someone's secret.
Making a false promise to someone intentionally.
Argumentation and intense debate.
Finding fault with what Allah has given one, and cursing it.
Incessantly talking about affairs that do not concern one.
Making a statement about oneself that expresses that one is pure and fault free.
Talking about the details of our belief system without knowledge.

Part 2 · Enlightenmentwhat to use it for

Use your tongue with tenderness and softness when you speak.
Use it to recite, and for the remembrance of Allah.
Only speak when it is necessary to do so, and do not waste the breath which Allah has given you.
Use it to give advice (nasiha) to help one another through this life.
Always have a smile, through hardship or ease — so that people see in you the way of the Holy Prophet ﷺ.

Eyes

5 rules to abstain from · 7 uses to adopt · 30 days each · p.64

Lowering the gaze even from what is lawful, and learning to look through the eyes of remembrance and of mercy.

Part 1 · Purificationwhat to abstain from

Safeguard it from looking at the opposite gender.
Safeguard it from unlawful images in magazines, videos, on the internet or on television.
Safeguard it from looking at materialistic things which take you out of the remembrance of Allah.
Gazing excessively at the Dunya — worldly materialistic things — wishing to attain it so deeply.
Looking with jealousy, hatred, or in a belittling way.

Part 2 · Enlightenmentwhat to use it for

Lower your gaze, even from lawful things.
Teach it to obey you; do not let it drift in different directions.
Try not to open the eyes wide in full view of anything, even something lawful.
Whenever you observe the world, use it to remember Allah and the Hereafter — whether it is a blessing of Allah or a sign of the Hereafter.
Use your eyes to see through the eyes of remembrance.
Look through the eyes of mercy. Be forgiving towards one another — everyone has his own shortcomings, and forgiveness can be a tool to encourage and help one another. See beyond the faults and look at the light of the other person's goodness.
When you open and close your eyes, observe and feel the qualities of the ninety-nine names of Allah. Every blink is a new start; every blink, see and ponder the blessed names. Every blink is the intense want of meeting the Creator.

Ears

6 rules to abstain from · 3 uses to adopt · 30 days each · p.66

The book pairs this sheet directly after the tongue: what you refuse to listen to protects what you refuse to say.

Part 1 · Purificationwhat to abstain from

Not listening to lying.
Not listening to backbiting.
Not listening to tales carried between people.
Not listening to string musical instruments, for example the guitar.
Not listening to horned musical instruments, for example the trumpet.
Not listening to sexually explicit lyrics.

Part 2 · Enlightenmentwhat to use it for

Use it to listen to the Qur'an and Hadith.
Use it to listen to things which remind you of Allah and the Hereafter.
Whenever you hear a sound, divert your attention towards Allah. Use the different sounds and vibrations around you to ponder the blessings of Allah and the Hereafter.

Hands

7 rules to abstain from · 7 uses to adopt · 30 days each · p.68

Every touch made into a remembrance — and every written word weighed against the book the angels are keeping.

Part 1 · Purificationwhat to abstain from

Do not touch the opposite sex unlawfully and intentionally.
Do not touch your private parts unless there is a need.
Do not steal or commit fraud.
Do not hurt any person physically, by punching or slapping.
Do not make obscene gestures.
Do not write hurtful notes which may be offensive, by text or email or otherwise.
Do not use electronic equipment unlawfully.

Part 2 · Enlightenmentwhat to use it for

Use your hands to help others in need.
Give charity.
Use your hands only in lawful things.
When touching what is lawful, be in a state of thankfulness (shukr) — that you have hands at all, that you are able to feel; and even where you have no ability, be thankful that Allah has saved you from unlawful use.
Let your hands have a voice which only moves in the presence and remembrance of Allah.
Let every touch reflect the Hereafter: the softness of a pillow is a remembrance of the ease and comfort of the Hereafter; heat and fire are a remembrance of the hellfire.
Every time you write, remember and reflect on the book of deeds which the angels are writing. Have mercy on people, and at the same time be strong upon the commands of Allah.

Feet

4 rules to abstain from · 8 uses to adopt · 30 days each · p.70

Where you allow yourself to go decides most of what you will have to fight when you arrive.

Part 1 · Purificationwhat to abstain from

Do not meet a non-mahram with unlawful intentions — by walking, driving, or any other means.
Do not go towards the houses of Shaytan: the pubs, the clubs, the cinemas, or vain places.
Do not go to places which will affect your heart and sensual organs in committing sins.
Do not go towards bad company — friends, colleagues or family who influence you towards sins.

Part 2 · Enlightenmentwhat to use it for

Travel close to the Sunnah in all walks of life.
Travel towards good places: the mosque, the people of Allah, and the places of remembrance.
Walk as though today is your last day.
With every footstep, imagine you are walking with the Holy Prophet ﷺ, and see in every step the way of his Sunnah.
Learn the supplications of travelling.
Learn the supplications of entering the mosque.
Learn the supplications of leaving and returning to your home.
Learn to walk as the Holy Prophet ﷺ walked.

Stomach

7 rules to abstain from · 7 uses to adopt · 30 days each · p.72

Not only what is unlawful, but how much of the lawful — and whose money paid for it.

Part 1 · Purificationwhat to abstain from

Do not eat what is haram.
Do not eat excessively, or overeat.
Do not consume alcohol or drugs.
Do not consume anything which may harm your body, for example tobacco.
The money with which you eat must be from halal income.
Do not waste food.
Wear lawful clothing and live in a lawful dwelling.

Part 2 · Enlightenmentwhat to use it for

Eat in the way of the Sunnah — in how you sit, eat and drink.
With everything you consume, be thankful with every bite, and remember the life of the Holy Prophet ﷺ.
While eating, remember those who are less fortunate and those who have nothing.
Eat healthy food.
Give the body the right portion of food, and exercise.
Do not let the stomach dominate your body; let it be your heart, and the Sunnah, that people see.
Keep a balance with exercise. Do not give yourself over to it alone — the true exercise is the exercise of the heart.

ChastityThe seventh sheet · tap to open · p.74

Chastity

5 rules to abstain from · 5 uses to adopt · 30 days each · p.74

The last of the seven doors. The book states its rulings plainly; they are set out here as written.

Part 1 · Purificationwhat to abstain from

Do not show it to anyone who is not your spouse, except for medical examination and the like.
Do not commit incest with family members, or sexually abuse children — it is unlawful to do so.
Do not have sexual intercourse with anybody who is not your spouse — it is unlawful to do so.
Do not engage in anal intercourse with anybody, including your spouse — it is unlawful to do so.
Do not practise homosexuality — it is unlawful to do so.

Part 2 · Enlightenmentwhat to use it for

Learn the ways of the Sunnah relating to istinja.
Thank Allah for the ease of relieving oneself. However much pain a person goes through, it can never compare to the punishment of the Hereafter — so be thankful in all circumstances.
Learn and practise the supplications for entering and leaving the toilet. This is a protection against the devil.
Learn and practise the supplications before and after lawful intimacy with one's spouse, so that it becomes a blessed relationship which keeps you both in the presence of Allah, and a protection from the devil.
Cleanliness is a key in worship, and a protection from the devil.

Because the rules need defining

What the terms actually mean

The book supplies definitions, and notably supplies the exceptions too — it does not leave the seeker to guess where a rule stops.

Backbiting is mentioning a fault about an identified or named absent person, such that if he were to hear it he would dislike it. The book then lists eight situations in which it is permissible: complaining about a wrong done to you, in order to have it redressed; asking for help to stop someone disobeying Allah; asking a scholar for a legal opinion on a matter involving another person; warning people about someone who harms others; identifying a person known only by a degrading name; speaking of the disobedience of a person who openly disobeys and does not care; telling the truth about someone when asked for advice about dealing with him — for marriage, for business, for friendship; and establishing the reliability of witnesses or narrators.

Slander is making up a false statement about a person and spreading it in public.

Lying is intentionally uttering a statement that does not correspond with reality while knowing it is false. Four situations are excepted: bringing two contending people to a truce; deception against an enemy in wartime; white lies to one’s spouse to improve the relationship; and protecting someone from a tyrant.

Ridicule is to hold another in contempt and show his defects — in words, in actions, or by gestures.

Looking. The rule is that anything unlawful to look at in real life is also unlawful to look at when depicted in a life-like way. Other non-pornographic photographs — the book’s examples are a panda bear, a properly-dressed human, a building — are generally permissible.

On singing and music the book records the relied-upon position in the Hanafi school, and in the other three schools, that musical instruments besides the daff are impermissible — while noting that there is some difference of opinion, including from notable jurists, and advising that one remain within what is relied upon.

Although the general advice is to purify the sensual organs individually, those seekers who are able to abstain from the sins of all seven simultaneously can do so, and should proceed to start the second stage.